Metal Injection Molding Materials

MIM Materials

Common MIM Materials

Metal Injection Molding produces various high-performance, complex-geometries parts without additional machining. In reason of MIM parts high density, its properties are equivalent to other fabrication method. There is high flexibility of material selection, same equipment can be produced by different metal materials. Furthermore, wide varieties of metal can be applied in MIM process. Metal powder with various chemical composition, particle sizes and shapes will determine final MIM parts properties.  All in all, Our MIM materials are classified into categories as following:

Ferrous alloys: steel, stainless steel, tool steel, low alloy steel, iron-nickel alloy, special ferrous alloys like Invar and Kovar.

Tungsten alloys: tungsten-copper, tungsten heavy alloys.

Nickel alloys: nickel, nickel-base superalloys.

Molybdenum alloys: molybdenum, molybdenum-copper.

Titanium alloys: titanium, titanium alloys.

Hard materials: cobalt-chromium, cemented carbides(WC-Co), cermet(Fe-TiC).

Specific materials: aluminum, precious metal, copper and copper alloys, cobalt-based alloys, magnetic alloys (soft and hard), shape-memory alloys.

ZCMIM Materials

You can check our common MIM materials as following graph.

ZCMIM materials
ZCMIM Materials

Custom MIM Materials

Most alloys composition are copied from standard handbook formulations. However, it cannot be ignored that long-term anneal in sintering process will degrade alloy properties, since most alloys were created and developed in casting technology. So, ZCMIM utilize modified chemistry way in MIM technology, in order to guarantee the physical and chemical properties of MIM parts.

Such as 316L alloy composition (Fe-19Cr-9NI-2Mo) is wildly applied in reason of its corrosion resistance and combined strength properties. Otherwise, extra additional chromium in alloy composition will make sintering process easily, so this alloy provide attainable superior properties with this alternative metal manufacturing method.

Custom metal powder can be fabricated with additional cost once composition is unavailable. There is no doubt that ZCMIM will satisfy your any custom material requirement in most cost-effective price.

MIM Material Options

MIM Material Applications

We need to consider many factors to select perfect material for MIM parts, such as MIM parts weight, tolerance requirement, mechanical stress, hardness, additional machining, maximum cross-section, corrosion resistance, etc.

Material CategoryMaterial TypeCharacteristicsApplication
Stainless steel316LCorrosion resistanceHorology parts, electronic component
Stainless steel304High strengthElectronic parts, micro-gears
Stainless steel420High strengthPneumatic machinery, cutlery, tools
Stainless steel440CFriction resistance, corrosion resistanceHand tools, sporting equipment
Stainless steel17-4 PHCorrosion resistance and strengthMedical, dental, surgical parts
Stainless steelP.A.N.A.C.E.ANon-magneticElectronics,
Fe-based alloy4605Exceptional strength, good ductilityConsumer products, hand tools
Fe-based alloyFe3%SiHigh electrical resistanceElectrical parts
Fe-based alloyFe50%NiHigh permeabilityElectrical parts
Fe-based alloyFe50CoHigh permeabilityMicro-motor
CopperCopper alloyThermal & electrical conductivityHeat conduction, electric conduction
Hard alloyNickel alloyelectrical conductivity, corrosion resistanceElectrical parts, wristwatch parts
TitaniumTi-6Al-4VCorrosion resistance, light weightMedical parts
Special alloyASTM F15 (Kovar)Controlled expansionSplitter, micro-electronic parts
Special alloyASTM F75Bio-compatibility, wear resistanceMedical, orthopedics, dental parts
Special alloyASTM F1537Bio-compatibility, corrosion resistanceMedical parts
Common MIM Material Applications

ZCMIM provides common MIM materials for different application as following: Click here to check our detail MIM material properties.

Typical Material Properties

For custom MIM parts requirement, we also offer you mechanical properties of typical MIM materials as following table:

Metal TypeMIM  modelDensityTensile strengthHardnessElongation
Iron BaseSecondary treatmentg/cm³MpaRockwell(% in 25.4 mm)
Stainless steel316L7.851567HRB50
Stainless steel3047.851563HRB50
Stainless steel4207.7173745HRC3.5
Stainless steel440C7.6165549HRC1
Stainless steel17-4 PH (sintered)7.589627HRC6
Stainless steel17-4 PH (Heat treatment)7.5118633HRC6
Stainless steel17-4 PH(H900)7.7120640HRC9
Stainless steel17-4 PH(H1100)7.7100034HRC12
Stainless steelP.A.N.A.C.E.A7.51090300HV1035
Low alloy steel4605 (sintered)7.544048HRB15
Low alloy steel4605 Low hardness7.5115136HRC3
Low alloy steel4605 High hardness7.5165548HRC2
Low alloy steelFe3%Si7.622780HRB24
Low alloy steelFe50%Ni7.846850HRB30
Low alloy steelFe50Co7.9530080HRB1
Specific alloyCopper alloy8.516530
Specific alloyTitanium alloy4.595036HRC18
Specific alloyNickel alloy8.653HRC
Specific alloyASTM F15 (Kovar)7.745065HRB25
Specific alloyASTM F758.399225HRC30
Specific alloyASTM F15378.3110332HRC27
Typical Material Properties

Start Your MIM Project Now

MIM Material Properties

MIM products are sintered to approximately 98% density below theoretical, so its chemical, physical, elastic and thermodynamic will be affected by MIM sintering process compare to handbooks information.

ZCMIM aim to provide high quality MIM parts for our customers, so we consider materials affection in MIM sintering process. It will assist our engineering team offer multiple treatment suggestion for your projects.

Mechanical Properties

MIM technology products have same tensile match other manufacturing routes.

Fatigue Strength and Fracture Toughness

For high toughness metal materials, we never need to worry about this issue. But in other case, materials testing is recommended, because of large grain size and residual porosity associated with MIM.

Corrosion Resistance

Stainless steel with MIM method will cause corrosion resistance issue, in reason of chromium preferential surface evaporation during sintering process will degrade resistance to corrosion attack. But, with proper post-sintering and surface treatment, final MIM parts can perform well in general corrosion resistance of various media.

Bio-compatibility

MIM parts are applied more and more in medical and dental area, so biocompatibility become equivalent to other routes. In that case, post-sintering and electrochemical treatment are required to re-uniform MIM parts surface chemistry for biocompatibility.

Wearing Performance

In MIM process, mix hard phases into feedstock will improve MIM parts wearing behavior. Such as, MIM tool steel treated with low concentration calcium difluoride has significant dry wear rate than wrought tool steel. Add titanium nitride or chromium boride to stainless steel will improve final product wear resistance.

ZCMIM is able to satisfy The Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) issues standards: MPIF Standard 35, Materials Standards for Metal Injection Molded Parts—2018 Edition. This is the most comprehensive standard of encompassing all facets in Metal Injection Molding Industry.

Check our MIM materials properties here.